The Jets had an eventful day on Saturday as they continued their search for a new general manager, conducting interviews with five candidates, including two previously unreported names.
Broncos assistant GM Darren Mougey and Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark were among those interviewed, joining the list of potential candidates. They were joined by Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown, Vikings senior VP of player personnel Ryan Grigson, and Lions special assistant to the owner and CEO Chris Spielman.
Along with the GM interviews, the Jets also held discussions with Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi regarding their head coaching vacancy.
The recent round of GM interviews brings the total number of candidates to 13, following the position’s opening after Joe Douglas was let go in November.
Additionally, the Jets are set to interview Bills assistant GM Brian Gaine and Packers VP of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan for the general manager role.
Mougey, 39, has been with the Broncos since 2012, starting as a scouting intern. He worked his way up through the scouting ranks and was named assistant GM in 2022.
“He’s still young,” Broncos GM George Paton said of Darren Mougey. “He’ll continue to learn and get better, but he’s certainly on track to become a GM in the future.”
Meanwhile, Lance Newmark has been with the Commanders for just a year but brings a wealth of experience from his 26 seasons with the Lions. His final role with Detroit was senior director of player personnel, where he managed the day-to-day operations of the football information and technology departments and contributed to both pro and college scouting.
The Jets are now entering the second week of their extensive search for a new general manager and head coach. Former Colts GM Ryan Grigson was among the candidates interviewed on Saturday.
While GM interviews are permitted to be in person, coaching interviews with candidates from playoff teams must remain virtual until Jan. 20. The Jets have requested virtual interviews with several playoff coaches, including Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
It’s possible the Jets will hold second-round interviews for GM candidates later this week, potentially leading to a GM hire before selecting their next head coach.